Tanzania: Engineer Suspended Over Poor Supervision of Water Projects

Dodoma — DEPUTY Water Minister Jumaa Aweso has suspended Mkuranga District Engineer Leonard Baseki for allegedly sabotaging Bungu, Mwanambaya and Mkerezange water projects in

Mkuranga District, Coast Region, according to a press statement issued by the Water Ministry yesterday.

The deputy minister issued a directive to Permanent Secretary, Prof Kitila Mkumbo, to suspend Mr Baseki after being briefed on the progress of water projects in Mkuranga at the weekend.

"The deputy minister is dissatisfied with the poor progress of the water projects supervised by Engineer Baseki," reads part of the statement issued by Communications Unit of the Ministry of Water.

The statement explains that the embattled engineer supervised the construction of a water tank in the area without a reliable water source and that the government has incurred a huge loss of money because of the poor projects.

"The government will no longer relocate engineers who underperform in the workplace, instead disciplinary action will be taken against the culprits," it reads.

Earlier, Mr Aweso commended Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Dawasa) for good supervision of water projects, urging the authority to redesign defunct water projects in the district.

Meanwhile, the current supervisor of water projects in Mkuranga, Mr Bakari Mgaya, said Dawasa was reviewing water projects in Mkuranga to extend water supply networks to other areas. He named the areas that would benefit after reviewing the water projects as Dundani, Mwanambaya, Kisemvule, Vikindu, Mwandege, Kipara Mpakani, Kiparang'anda, Kiziko Junction, Bigwa, Mwalusembe, Mkenge, Kimanzichana and Mbezi Gongoni.

Mr Mgaya said the project to extend water supply network worth 5.5bn/- to the areas would be completed by July 2020, saying about 25, 500 residents would benefit from the water projects.